Visit to Cape Ann Animal Aid

During our recent visit to Massachusetts, we visited Cape Ann Animal Aid adoption center.  It is located in a back road but during the short time we were there, four families came to see the dogs and cats available for adoption.  The place is bright and cheery, especially the rooms where cats are housed. They have different set ups for the cats.  Some are in quiet rooms and some are in the main area. They let some cats roam free.  They told me the place is run by private donations and grants they receive. Some of the cages are sponsored by people and they have bricks at the entrance with names of people who donated to the shelter. I asked them if they ever received rescues from other parts and they said they have done it, but they mainly focus in helping cats in their community.

 

I wish Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control building looked like the one in Cape Ann. Our shelter looks more like a prison than an animal shelter.  Unfortunately, I learned that the shelter's director does not have authority to make any changes to the building itself.  She is not allowed to paint or put any art on the walls.  The Palm Beach County buildings are under the responsibility of the Facilities Development & Operations Department. The director of this department is Audrey Wolf and she is the one that would need to authorize any changes.  I do not know if Ms. Wolf requested money in the budget for any improvements to ACC this coming year. I have not had time to research if it would be possible to make improvements to the shelter via private donations. There seems to be some law that might prevent the shelter from receiving donations for capital improvements. Not sure yet. Hopefully, we will be able to form a citizens group to request changes to the ACC building to improve chances of people visiting the shelter to adopt the thousands of dogs and cats that the shelter receives annually.

 

Millennium Camp Conference 2014

I was very lucky to have attended the Millennium Campus Conference this weekend. It was held at Lynn University, very close to our home. Most of the time I felt very old being around 500 college kids but at the same time very inspired by them.

I learned some important things. The one that surprised and worried me the most was learning that almost nobody cares about Climate change or Climate justice. The conference was aimed at finding solutions to end global poverty but t...o me, Climate Chance has a huge relationship to poverty.

 
I was able to make some connections regarding Guatemala and I am hoping I will be able to connect with people or students interested in doing something to demand Climate Action. I was able to talk to Abigail Kelble, the MCN Programs Director and I asked her to please include people from Guatemala and to discuss Climate Change at their next Millennium conference.
 
One of the booths at the World Fair was from the United Nations Global Survey for a Better World. I was able to vote on the issues I think the United Nations should put on the table for the next global development agenda. It was very disheartening to see that “Action Taken on Climate Change” is at the bottom of the votes. We need to change that.
It was very inspiring to hear so many speakers and to meet some of them in person. People are able to watch the conference at ww.mcc2015.org.
 

 

People's Climate March - September 21st, 2014

I watched the documentary "Disruption" and I knew I needed to participate in a march.  I thought about going to New York City to participate there but it was expensive and not convenient to travel.

I posted about it on Facebook and I asked people to participate but the only one who attended a march was my sister Noemi.  She went to the march in Delray Beach and I decided to go to Miami to connect with other people fighting for climate action in our area.

Elisa did a great job and I very proud of her. We met great people and we will be working with them to demand action from our elected officials.